The Gardener’s Oasis may not look like a traditional greenhouse, appearing to be more like a tent than a glasshouse. But don’t let the looks fool you; behind the somewhat odd and perhaps even pedestrian look of these American-made structures is a well-thought out approach to home gardening. The construction materials are different than those normally seen in the greenhouses sold under major brand names, but they’ve been selected for optimal strength and light diffusion. And the Gardener’s Oasis glasshouses also have standard extras you won’t often find elsewhere. Here’s a closer look at this interesting greenhouse:

Size and Detailing: All of these Solexx offerings are eight feet wide, and there are four available sizes: 8 x 8, 8 x 12, 8 x 16 and 8 x 24, each with one large louvered air vent. The eaves of these structures are curved and the roofs are rounded (with the glazing stretching over them both) so there’s more than ample headroom to work with, around eight feet. There’s a single locking door made from the same material as the rest of the greenhouse. No gutters are needed because of the curved construction. Standard extras are two strong, double-tiered bench frames (which hold 250 pounds each) and two full-length hanging rods. Solexx also offers a deluxe upgrade, which includes a solar opener for the louvre vent, shelves to fit the bench frames, base vents and a tie-down kit.

Frames and Base: The frame on the Gardener’s Oasis models is made from a heavy-duty composite material, designed for strength and to prevent rust and corrosion; it’s assembled with PVC and steel fittings. A sturdy built-in base is included with the greenhouse. Solexx recommends placing the structure over a gravel base with a weed barrier for best drainage, but it can also go on top of a lawn, concrete base, or any other surface.

Glazing: Solexx uses a proprietary 3.5mm twin-wall translucent, polyethylene material for its glazing (with the option to upgrade to 5mm), which the company says is superior to the polycarbonate glazing normally used for greenhouses. The glazing used on Gardener’s Oasis models (called Solexx panels) is insulated to reduce the cost of heating or cooling the structure, and UV-formulated to provide diffused light to the plants inside. Solexx says it has tests showing that this light diffusion accelerates plant growth by more than 25%. The company also has research showing that the R-value (measuring effective insulation) of its 5mm Solexx panels is nearly double that of traditional 6mm twin-wall polycarbonate glazing. As we’ve previously noted, the Gardener’s Oasis glazing stretches all the way around the top of the glasshouse, which means that there aren’t gaps where wind can get in to disrupt the material’s integrity.

Options: No other options are available for these Solexx models, other than the upgrades to the deluxe package and to thicker 5mm glazing.

It might take a leap of faith to purchase a Solexx Gardener’s Oasis greenhouse rather than one which looks more like the glasshouse you’ve pictured for years. However, if you’re not one of those people who believe in “form over function” these models are an interesting alternative to carefully consider.